I am not a parent and I have no intention of telling parents how to raise their kids. However, I know a little bit about parenting or at least the other side of parenting; I was a kid once…

In this article I have two messages to put forth. The first is for parents and the second is for my fellow I-gens who are perhaps struggling with the same concupiscence which I struggle with.

TO COMMENCE:

Right now the Faithful are in a comfort zone, with the mentality that we are “Safe”. Despite some major scandals, the Catholic Church in America is rapidly picking up the pieces of the 60’s and 70’s. Our religious orders are growing, parishes are enlarging and are forming some very good and proactive church groups, new catholic colleges are forming and older ones are having to expand, in general the Church one could say has entered into a “Golden Age”.

There are very few families who can compare to the Martin family however, the majority of today’s church-going Laity tends to be pious and very serious about their Faith. Most families (At least the families I know) have family prayers every night, they go to church every Sunday and go to Daily Mass when the opportunity arises. They live the Faith. So, the family is serious about its Faith while the parents reside over it with contentment and pride.

This picture is healthy, happy and holy. It can certainly breed holiness. That being said, oftentimes however, it can breed a “Phariseeitical Catholic”. This of course happens when a child watches his parents pray and talk about the Faith without realizing that there is a mental conviction that the Faith entails.

Mom and Dad taught all seven of us the basics of our Christian Faith when we were little, and as we grew our education became more enhanced and our understanding became very keen. Through their example we learned to love our Faith and hold it very dear to us. It is strange sometimes that we can love a thing to an extraordinary degree and have a lucid understanding of it while at the same time withholding ourselves from enjoying it to its fullest extent. I learned to love my Faith, which mistakenly translated into the mentality: “I am a serious Catholic. I know that I am not a saint and probably will never reach there, but I am a darn good Catholic”. I, like many other cradle Catholics, are shooting more for being good Catholics not good Saints.

This self righteousness of which I am speaking is SO underlying that it is hard to admit to ourselves. It is hard to admit that we really aren’t “Saved” automatically just because we spring from a devout Catholic home. We learn in the catechism but we don’t necessarily grasp the fact that the family grants the child the TOOLS to reach Salvation. The family unit does not grant Salvation itself and it is hard for a child (and many adults for that matter) to grasp that fully.

In my mind, there is no possible way to eradicate this way of thinking in a child. But it is crucial to recognize this side effect of pious upbringing and thereby minimize this result. Growing up in a large Catholic family in an environment with other Catholic families, the challenges of a child are small. As they grow older they are still immersed in the Catholic environment, and if they go to a Catholic College even when they are adults.

The meaning of words like “Death”, “Suffering”, “Hate”, “Evil”, and other extremes is a distant thing to the child living in a happy family. Which is how it should be. But, it also should be grown out of when they become adults and intending to raise kids themselves.

What made the Holocaust so REAL to the victims during the Second World War, is that the Jewish (and other minority) children were subjected to torture starvation and death, being shocked wide awake from the ignorant bliss and innocence of childhood. Unfortunately, these children became more adult at 10 then the average american college graduate is today.

I am not saying that in order to become an adult, you have to experience some horrible tragedy. What I am saying is that you cannot be living in the hunky dory, everyone is Catholic and good pretense. MARTIN LUTHER WAS A CATHOLIC PRIEST YA’LL!!

True, everyone is aware of crimes like Abortion and Trafficking, but the buck stops when it comes to me, myself, and I. It is inconceivable to think that “Myself” could fail in my calling of being a living example of christian charity , Disclaimer Here: At least fail enough to go to Hell. But Purgatory is fine…

Catholic adults are living in a perpetual state of childhood, as they perceive the evils of the world but fail to recognize it in themselves. Probably there are few who are exempt from this mentality. If you are not a saint right at this moment then this is so. Something is holding each of us back from Eternity (the good Eternity that is), when will it be the time to start towards our heavenly goal?

My advice to parents is this: PLEASE do not think your kids are infallible because you raised them right. Many children are probably burning in Hell and many more in Purgatory because of this. If you think and act like your kids are just short of being saints, you will be responsible for brainwashing your kids.

Fellow generationals, You are not infallible, you are not a saint. There is no reason not to be though. Remember, the saints are where they are because God was their sole vision, which obliterated all else. They lived in the ONLY reality there really is.

In the end then, become like the Psalmist, “Zeal for your house has consumed me” Psalms 69:10

I have a great weakness for Folk Rock, specifically Credence Clearwater Revival and the Avett Brothers. Normally in the pursuit of my hobbies, I tend to put all my attention on having fun and relaxing (perhaps I shouldn’t) without acknowledging anything outside of my present happy domain. However, the other day while listening to the Avett Brothers’ beautiful work of art “The Once And Future Carpenter” I was shocked by some of the all too real and toxic lines. Which I felt I needed to share.

The Once And Future Carpenter is the story of a young man who forsook his manly trade to pursue other interests eventually to lose all responsibility, respectability and most importantly, purpose. At least this is the meaning which I glean from it.

The refrain is thus:

Forever I will move like the world that turns beneath meAnd when I lose my direction I’ll look up to the skyAnd when the black cloak drags upon the groundI’ll be ready to surrender, and remember:we’re all in this togetherAn’ if I live the life I’m given…I won’t be scared to die.

The song is an expression of a man’s loneliness and loss of aim. Any aim. He is drifting from one place and purpose to another, in rapid succession. The man’s attitude is one of passivity and acceptance taking everything as it comes, not having the courage to actually turn his worthless life around and “Go get a life”. Hoping (And almost expecting)that an urge for stability and resolution will magically fall into his lap.

If it wasn’t for the sweet tune and rhythm of the melody, a person could almost get mad at the young rascal in the song. Despite this, a lesson can be learned for everyone, not only for those who shirk their duty. The one line that rings clear and true universally is the refrain’s ending: “An’ if I live the life I’m given…I won’t be scared to die.”

Well, isn’t this true for everyone? Many a time I am distracted from my ultimate goal and vocation by lesser things and I become negligent in fulfilling my day-to-day duties, and through this, forgetting my ultimate vocation at this stage of my life.

I fade away from living the life I’m given. I start living a life I have given TO MYSELF. If I proceed in this manner, I will sin and separate myself from God. In a sinful state I will be in a great quandary, for I will be afraid to pass on to Eternal Life while not united with God and being a living Temple of the Holy Spirit.

One great secret that Jacinta of Fatima propagated by both word of mouth and most importantly, by her actions, was to constantly live in the Presence of God. No matter what she did, in play, in conversation, in eating, in sleeping, all was done for God, as a prayer to God. Every one of us are called to this mode of life. Never ever being more than one thought away from God.

In this sense every object that seems to distract us from our course will be seen in a different light: “Am I doing this to give a little more of myself to God? Or a little more of myself to myself?”. Our vocation will ever be present in our minds, we will not drift off course.

As children of God, we need to constantly live the life that God has given us, not only by actions but in spirit and attitude. Only then, will we be not scared to die.

In Part I of this topic, I discussed how Europe (generally speaking but not as a rule) has no desire and no intention of helping the refugees in the masses. One thing I failed to mention is that Europe due to its population density, cannot necessarily handle the brunt of the refugees. This however, isn’t an excuse to refuse the entry of as many refugees as they are denying. It is only to say that Europe cannot handle ALL of them.

And now should The United States of America enter world affairs. We have a vast expanse of uninhabited land, and so space isn’t an issue. The excuse most Americans use is that migrants will take away all business, plunging America into another Great Depression.

In actuality, migrants are the basis of American economy. Hispanics and other immigrants work all the jobs that Americans are too lazy to think about. For example, during the recession several years ago, there were plenty of dirty jobs to do, but the majority of Americans would rather starve themselves and their families rather than buckle down into the nitty gritty and get their little hands dirty. My conclusion is that migrant workers aren’t stealing any jobs, since Americans are too fat and lazy anyway.

Even if this wasn’t the case, if American Capitalists decided to BE American and bring all the industry stateside. Then not only would the number of jobs increase infinintly, but America would once again be self sufficient. Owing no country debt or allegiance.

America has a long tradition of receiving immigrants. I say “receiving” because I fail to remember a time when immigrants were welcome. In almost every case immigrants in the first few decades were either hated, feared, or in good times, tolerated. Eventually after several decades immigrants would finally be welcomed in the locality in which they settled.

In the 1800’s, Irishmen started flooding the continent as they fled from famine and because they had rubbed the English Authorities the wrong way. All these immigrations were greatly feared. The Protestant upper classes had inherited a vehement loathing of “Papism” or “Popery” and saw the great influx of Irish as a threat to society. The common view was that Catholicism was un-American because all Catholics were in a plot to take over America for the Vatican. In the 1928 Presidential campaign, Al Smith, the Catholic nominee, lost the race to Herbert Hoover due to the large anti-catholic sentiment.

It is true that the Irish wouldn’t Americanize the way the WASPs wanted them to, losing their religion and culture. But, they would prove that they were willing and patriotic American citizens. When the Civil War broke out, the Irish were among the first to take up arms to defend what they thought to be right. Both the North and South had Irish Brigadier Regiments who became greatly distinguished on the battlefield. If any “Rite” was ever needed to become American, I believe this Baptism of Blood would suffice.

Today 34.5 million Americans claim Irish descent. Some Irish customs are a legacy here. Even in the rural South where probably 95% of the population are Scotch/English, St. Paddy’s Day parades and “Irish” Highland Games are a big deal (Highland Games are really Sottish, but if people are under an impression it is hard to break). In a way, the Irish built modern day America.

This article is not about the Irish, however I see a direct correlation from them to the Hispanic and the Middle Eastern migrants of today. The Irish were escaping from certain death by the series of natural calamities that erupted in Ireland during the 19th Century and so too, are the Hispanics and Middle Easterns. Erin’s sons were trying to survive starvation by working hard, low paying, and even life threatening jobs, and so are the migrants of today. The Irish bled for their new country, and now many nationalities fight under our flag. And lastly, both the Irish and modern immigrants, were/are constantly experiencing hostility in their daily hardworking lives.

It may take another century, but the Hispanic and Middle Eastern ethnicities will, whether you like it or not, become an integral part of the United States’ population. The only thing that remains is to accept them and to welcome them like CHRISTIANS and in that way they will be proud to be American all the more.

We shouldn’t worry that immigrants will pollute American culture either, because we’ve got no culture. In fact the IMMIGRANTS are the ones losing their culture. New England, made up of Irish American immigrants, lost its culture to such an extent that they are the Liberal hotbed of the East!

As an American descended from immigrants, I believe that Immigration is not only a calling from God on the spiritual level, but also on the economic and social level, it is a chance for America to thrive and become a self sustained nation united in a mutual love of neighbor which inevitably will create a stronger patriotic generation to carry on our Founding Fathers’ work.

At the end of all arguments it would be good to remember a saying I found in an old Toast Master’s joke book: “I believe it would have been wise for the American Indian to have had a Customs Office”

Europe historically has been a Christian continent. Europe is where Christianity first took root and where it grew up. Traditionally, European Ideals constitute: Christianity (under the Primacy of Peter), Monarchy (With the view that Kingship or Queenship is a direct calling from God to protect those under them), A strong code of morals (Chivalry), and an enduring warfare against the Moslems. This last idea was a method of survival for the Christian entities whose only choice was to fight to keep from being overrun in the Middle Ages.

With the dawn of the Protestant Revolution in 1517, Europe’s entire moral outlook on life and method of living changed drastically. Along with the revolutionary attitude of Protestantism came the decline of Europe. For, if one can revolt against God then what can prevent them from revolting against the rest of society? The Protestant mind set attacked authority, from thence came the destruction of governments, and consequentially the nations, and the continent.

Because of the poor fusing qualities* which “holds” Protestantism together, morals broke apart everywhere and now Europe has no God, Monarchy, or any code of morals. What is left is an inept defiance of Islam. Europe stands firm on one basis, The War on Terror….to save “Western Ideals” (Don’t ask them what those ideals ARE though!).

When ISIS started its large scale persecution, hundreds of thousands of Christians (As well as some less than fanatical Moslems) were either ousted from their homes or decided to leave on their own accord before they became dismembered, buried alive etc. and proceeded to find a haven from the bloodshed and hate. Where could they turn to but the West? The most common happenstance of Human History took place: Migration.

Unlike the majority of group migrations in earlier times, refugees nowadays are met with strong opposition. We, the West, are blinded with the common attitude of “Rights Infringement”, However, the WEST is the one infringing on other people’s rights: The Right to LIVE. By denying the essential Right of Food and the Right of Shelter, we are condemning them to an existence. An existence is life of surviving rather than thriving.

The West thinks that they can fight Terrorism by preventing the reception of refugees. Their excuse is that either most of the refugees are terrorists or that terrorists are lurking among the refugees waiting to take over the country who receives them. Another excuse is that the receiving country will lose its culture as the natives become outnumbered. (This wouldn’t be an issue if Europe started having children again).

At first glance some of these fears are logical, who can doubt that an ISIS member would subterfuge himself among those displaced persons. Or who can doubt that a country will over time become diluted among its newly ordained citizens.

On the other hand, if Europe did what the Holy Father suggested neither of these things would be an issue. Pope Francis suggested that each family or parish “Adopt” a refugee family to take care of. In this case welcoming the immigrants would be on an individual basis and so most of the issues would be bypassed.

The United States has a screening process which can take many months to clear a person. The innocent are helpless and starving for those months and the guilty usually can get by it anyhow. On an individual basis though, a family will intimately know the other family and if there is any suspicious activity it will stick out like a purple nose. Concerning the matter on cultural pollution is the idea about refugees who want to stay (Second Generation refugees know only the land in which they were born) after the terror is ended. It would be wise to instruct them in National Customs thereby preserving the heritage.

Switzerland has the reputation of being a loner, they are formed in such a way that the outside world has no major effect on them. The last war they fought was over 500 years ago. To preserve their independence from worldly affairs they have strict naturalization guidelines. In order to get Swiss citizenship you have to live for ten years there and at the end of it, the State Secretariat for Migration examines whether you are integrated in the Swiss way of life, are familiar with Swiss customs and traditions and comply with the Swiss rule of law.

The Swiss know how to do it people! They are not having National Identity Crises! I am not sure what Swiss government politics are, but their naturalization process is almost infallible. The rest of Europe can learn from them.

However, the rest of Europe WON”T learn from them. They are too busy caught up with themselves (Due to the moral decline). It is not that Europe cares about the welfare of their people, it is that they DON”T care about the welfare of millions of refugees, those who cannot do public demonstrations or vote for positions of office.

It is clear that SOMEONE has to welcome these people. The question is Who? and How?

I will halt this here, and cover the US’ immigration problems in the Part II. However, I will leave this post with the few thoughts which I come away with .

It is clear that Europe will not help this worldwide predicament, at least not in any way which tips the scale. This leaves the US as the “Land of Opportunity” for the terror-stricken refugees. Since I am a citizen of the U.S.A. I can only make a change of heart and legislation here. So I will speak out.

America is by definition, a land of immigrants, we have nothing to lose from new cultures coming into the US, for we have none of our own. We only have everything to gain. Perhaps it would shock us into being not prejudiced against every other race, I don’t know. I do know however, that someone has got to help these people and that America, if it has ANY vocation from God, is the best nation to welcome strangers since that is what we are made up of.

* “Poor fusing qualities of Protestantism” refers to the attitude that everything is a matter of conscience e.g. Scriptural interpretation, thereby creating many different perspectives, doctrines, and consequentially, churches. Protestant churches tend to float with the tide and that is why there are hundreds of different denominations which have broken off of previous ones. Their one unity is the belief that the Catholic Church is wrong.

Agnostics are of the opinion that If they can prove a widely acclaimed miracle as false, they can prove all religion wrong. The Miracle of the Sun is one of these “special” miracles.

If a person takes a look at the reasons an agnostic gives for the cause and result of the Miracle of the Sun you will find that they do not ACTUALLY prove that a supernatural phenomenon did not happen. They have natural reasons to explain away MOST of the phenomena which happened at Fatima, but there is nothing evidential. Arguably all these natural causes COULD have happened in the way put forward by them, however, what are the chances that natural phenomena happened in such a chronological sequence, and in such precise timing, unless it all came from a supernatural force?

If a person is a confirmed Agnostic, then they are in a sense “required” to believe this theoretical progression of natural phenomena, to them it’s only logic. Christians on the other hand, are aware that something miraculous like this can indeed happen and so, if an agnostical argument is not very coherent or is unsatisfactorily explanatory, then it is worthy of believing that the occurrence came from God. (As long as it is recognized as “Worthy of Belief” by Rome”.)

The two foremost arguments atheists come up with are: A solar phenomenon happened which people under the influence of pious enthusiasm took for a sun, dancing and diving into the earth. And also, the crowd under the influence of said factor, stared at the sun until it looked to them like it was dancing. Following this are the more far-fetched theories: Conspiracy theory (against the government, who in reality very much wanted the crowds to witness “The” fraud at the Cova), Lucia was a spoiled brat who brought two small children under an impression, everybody were liars (THAT one really convinces me…), the Bible has verses which forbid Christians to believe in any miracles, the entire earth would have felt some serious jolting if the sun was careening off its axis (Little do they realize that the definition of a miracle is something which BREAKS the laws of nature), and a great many other lightweight arguments. Sometimes people just try too hard and it doesn’t work. I think the skeptics realize this and that is why they put the most emphasis on the two former arguments.

The first argument is easy to depose. The unbelievers say that the people in a trance saw a solar phenomenon called a Sundog. A certain agnostic I read stated: “Thankfully a Catholic priest wrote in his book that many saw nothing”, if “many saw nothing” then it certainly couldn’t have been a natural solar phenomenon because every person would HAVE to see it. Enough said.

The second argument is for some, very believable. However it does take a little stretch of the imagination. The entire miracle took place in a total period of about ten minutes. Skeptics say that staring straight at the sun can make it look like the sun is dancing. Still, staring for ten solid minutes!? If a person stares at the sun for only a few minutes they will have at least some temporary damage. But staring for ten solid minutes? If they don’t go blind they at least will have some visual impairment for a couple of weeks or months!

In response, agnostics put forward the argument that there was some cloud covering (Due to the recent rain) and therefore the sun’s rays were lessened. Still, the numbers watching this miracle range from 30,000-100,000 people I find it hard to believe that such a large crowd of people staring at a partially obscure sun (Which according to eyewitness accounts was NOT obscured) could do this without at least ONE case of eye damage!

In addition to this, all witnesses (including those who did not see anything impressive) agreed that the sun came out after a torrential downpour at exactly noon. Nobody disagrees here. I doubt very much that the sun came out just by sheer coincidence.

Accordingly, there were some agnostic, communistic, and freemason skeptics who saw and believed. They were the same people who came to laugh at a crowd whom they expected to be embarrassed when nothing happened. Therefore, Since there couldn’t have been a visible natural solar occurrence then it would have to be the eyes playing tricks on the piously impressed minds. The skeptics who assembled at the Cova da Iria, were undeniably in a self possessed sane state when they fell to the ground in stark fear.

Following from this argument is the misinterpreted account that many people reported seeing different things. And here is the fact that agnostics just cannot grasp because Faith is a stumbling block to them: God permits people to see the thing which He wants them to see, that which will help them reach Heaven. Some people saw the sun spiraling into the earth making them quake with fear as they realized that morals ARE real and absolutely HAVE to be followed and not thrown on the wayside. Others saw Mary, the Mother of God, smiling and blessing the earth, encouraging those who were already their journey of faith. Others saw nothing, perhaps these people did not NEED to see anything.

Agnostics since they do not believe in God, do not know God. One can not judge a person’s actions when they do not know the person and the circumstances in which they exist. Therefore, an Agnostic cannot say or put limits to the things God can do and why He does them. They want God to come on His knees to them to tell them He exists, they are afraid of uncertainty, and because of this fear they continually live in it.

There is a story of Saint Louis who was working in his study when a servant ran up to him and said “Sire, the Infant Jesus is appearing in the Host upon the altar!” the saint calmly continued his writing, and replied, “I could not believe more firmly in Christ’s presence in the Eucharist if I were to behold a miracle.” Catholics especially make huge mistakes, partly with poor understanding about the basis of the Church’s foundations of Faith on Scripture and Tradition, by trying to prove God’s existence through a miracle which was not meant to prove anything.

There is enough evidence for the miracle at Fatima to make Catholics realize the importance of the Rosary and praying for the conversion of sinners. And certainly enough to change a person’s thought proccess about how he reflects on his life. It has for me. THIS WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE MIRACLE! Not to prove to the world, but to save the church which was (is) full of sinners.

In conclusion, nobody has disproved the miracle at Fatima, if evidence becomes apparent to support this, my faith in God will not be shattered because it is based on Faith and Reason, not some “superstitious” happenings. On the flip side, Christians can believe a supernatural cause of these happenings because it is not contrary to their knowledge but, they cannot necessarily give indisputable proof that the happenings at Fatima were supernatural.

Given the proofs which have been put forward, together with the refutations. I can honestly say that I believe in these happenings. It makes the most sense when approached with a Christian perspective than with an Agnostic’s.

Perhaps the film “The Song of Bernadette” (1943) stated it best in the opening scene: “For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe in God, no explanation is possible”.

At the end of Lent I look back and ask myself how spiritually fulfilling it was. Some years in my reflection I feel really holy and devout other times I am ashamed.

Either way, my entire Lent was spent wrong. In the first instance I am filled with a holy pride which in itself is not holy. My Lent was spent trying to feel good about hard penance instead of growing closer to God. In the second instance, my Lent was bad for the obvious reason of sloth.

I always realize this way too late, usually during Holy Week when I am at Mass and adoration for the better part of the week. And for this reason the Triduum is my favorite three days of the year.

I am completely absorbed in the humility and sufferings of Jesus which make me forget entirely my bad Lent. The Triduum makes me realize (more than any Lent ever could) that we are called every single day to suffer and give ourselves over completely to God, who suffered EVERYTHING for us.

As Christians, we have a responsibility to “Lent” all year, in a way that only us personally know about. I am a person who usually sees the Lenten Season as a way to get close to God. However, in everyday life we should already be getting close to God. Lent is only a way to do visible means of penance in union with the Universal Church.

Good Friday especially makes this reality clearer to me. The challenge is staying in this balance the rest of the year, where nobody can see me “skimping” on my sacrifices.

In my family for observance of Christ’s time spent on the Cross, we are completely silent from twelve noon until the Good Friday Service ends so that we can think and meditate on the sufferings of Christ. This is a solid way of getting disconnected with the outside world. Silence makes our relationship with God grow. Without silence we are constantly drawn to material interests and get distracted quicker than we realize. The great saints have clearly understood this: St. Bruno, St. Bernard, St. Catherine of Siena, and a host of others.

Through this take on the spiritual life, I will be able grow close to God all year. May the Triduum this year stem a journey leading you and me to everlasting life.

Oh, for the time when music was sweet music! When the sound of actual TUNES floated through the air. A tune which could make your heart throb with sorrow or joy, a song sung with true feeling and not with loud beats!

Music has been a form of self expression, both to the singers and the sung-to, since the beginning of recorded history. Music is intrinsic to mankind, it is an indissoluble part of mankind.

In ancient times, music was used to sing ballads of kings, victories of armies, virtues of saints and feelings of the heart. In this day and age, music is predominantly taken over by the “Feelings of the Heart Syndrome”. No more are there songs speaking of the courage and virtue of heroic men and women. I guess modern day music fits in with the self-centeredness of modern society…

Since a song is a form of expression it should depict the feelings of the singer, and modern music does that. Notice that there are more angry songs or revenge songs and more “getting over you” songs. And all this because people place their happiness in other people (Who can fail) and not in God. The result of secularization.

With the slow corruption of lyrics into one mass blob of mad, heartbroken confusion, tunes started becoming the same way. SO MUCH SO, THAT NOW WE HARDLY HAVE ANY TUNES AT ALL!!!

Try singing a pop song without karaoke and you will immediately see my point. It doesn’t matter what kind of voice you have, it will sound flat, stale and like a coffee grinder. There is so much energy, with the love or hate felt in these songs, that the tune reaches a crescendo of irrational balance, completely overturning the laws of music.

I am not saying that every pop artist is angry or unbalanced, I am simply stating that the composers write songs that follow the styles which our society gobbles up the instant it hits the streets. They give the public what they want to hear.

I was rather spoiled growing up. I listened mostly to Gene Autry and Bing Crosby (and no, not just White Christmas). It wasn’t till I was in my early teens that I started hearing more pop. Philosophically, I can only stand music from the 50’s, however some days I feel the need to listen to heavier music to either relieve stress or something else.

There is certainly a place for modern pop, however there needs to be a gigantic cut back. Moderation in everything.